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| United States Patent |
5,229,157
|
|
Birch
, et al.
|
July 20, 1993
|
Method of preparing a food product
Abstract
A method of preparing an aerated vegetable product comprising starch, oil
and a heat-setting material. The method involves mixing the individual
components and thereafter aerating with a gaseous material. The method is
for example well suited to the preparation of an aerated potato product
which has a different taste and texture compared to mashed potato. Other
vegetable products can be made from for example sweetcorn, carrot or pea.
Furthermore, products made according to the invention can retain their
structure after being frozen and subsequently reheated.
| Inventors:
|
Birch; Robert C. (Wellingborough, GB2);
Stringer; John V. (Rushden, GB2)
|
| Assignee:
|
Thomas J. Lipton Co., Division of Conopco Inc. (Englewood Cliffs, NJ)
|
| Appl. No.:
|
832090 |
| Filed:
|
February 6, 1992 |
Foreign Application Priority Data
| Current U.S. Class: |
426/564; 426/243; 426/565; 426/578; 426/589; 426/613; 426/614; 426/615 |
| Intern'l Class: |
A23L 001/052.2; A23L 001/216 |
| Field of Search: |
426/564,565,566,567,568,613,614,578,579,243,615,589
|
References Cited
U.S. Patent Documents
| 3043700 | May., 1960 | Szczesniak | 426/92.
|
| 3333965 | Oct., 1963 | Kurtzhalts | 426/94.
|
| 3346387 | Oct., 1967 | Moncrieff et al. | 426/654.
|
| 3655405 | Jan., 1970 | Karas et al. | 426/94.
|
| 3698914 | Oct., 1972 | Kortschot et al. | 426/83.
|
| 4251560 | Feb., 1981 | Dell et al. | 426/565.
|
| 4428971 | Jul., 1982 | Havette et al. | 426/565.
|
| Foreign Patent Documents |
| 0071054 | Nov., 1985 | EP.
| |
| 339784 | Nov., 1989 | EP.
| |
| 029972 | Jul., 1984 | JP.
| |
Other References
"Favorite Recipes Coverted for Microwave Ovens"; B. K. Bourque, 1978.
|
Primary Examiner: Hunter; Jeanette
Attorney, Agent or Firm: Brumbaugh, Graves, Donohue & Raymond
Parent Case Text
This application is a continuation of application Ser. No. 07/442,113,
filed on Nov. 28, 1989, now abandoned.
Claims
What is claimed is:
1. A method for preparing an aerated vegetable product, comprising first
preparing a mixture of 3-30% liquid oil, 5-20% heat-setting material, an
aqueous liquid, and a vegetable selected from the group consisting of
potato, sweet corn, carrot and pea, wherein the vegetable comprises 5-20%
natural or added gelatinized starch, all based upon the weight of the
product, thereafter aerating the mixture with a gaseous material wherein
the liquid oil acts as a solubilizer for the gaseous material, and
thereafter heat treating the aerated product to preset the structure.
2. A method according to claim 1 wherein the gelatinised starch is potato
starch.
3. A method according to claim 1 wherein the aerated product is pre-set in
a microwave oven.
4. A method according to claim 1 wherein the gaseous material is selected
from nitrous oxide, carbon dioxide or nitrogen.
5. A method according to claim 1 wherein the mixture is aerated to an
overrun of more than 5%.
6. A method according to claim 5 wherein the mixture is aerated to an
overrun of more than 10%.
7. An aerated vegetable product prepared according to claim 1, comprising
10-20% natural or added gelatinized starch, 5-15% liquid oil and 5-20% of
a heat-setting agent by weight of the product, wherein the vegetable is
selected from the group consisting of potato, sweet corn, carrot and pea.
8. An aerated vegetable product according to claim 7, wherein the starch
content is 10-20%.
9. An aerated vegetable product according to claim 8 wherein the 10-20%
starch content comprises potato starch.
10. An aerated vegetable product according to claim 7 or claim 8 co-formed
with one or more additional food components, comprising for example meat,
cheese, vegetable or sauce.
11. An aerated vegetable product according to claim 10 wherein co-forming
comprises filling, topping, or coextrusion, or any combination thereof.
Description
The invention relates to a method of preparing a food product. In
particular, it relates to a method of preparing a potato product with a
light aerated structure.
Many vegetables are consumed in a normal diet, including for example
potato. It can be eaten in a variety of forms, such as French fries, that
is sticks of fried potato, mashed potato, etc. One of the problems
associated with mashed potato is the time it takes to prepare such a
product. The preparation involves several steps, namely removing the skin
from the potato, cooking the potato, such as by boiling in water, and
mashing the potato and mixing with a liquid, such as milk or water in
order to obtain a light creamy product. Furthermore, mashed potato once
prepared may lose its characteristic properties after being frozen and
subsequently thawed. Powdered mashed potato product which can be
reconstituted with water to give an instant potato product is available.
However, the texture and taste of the reconstituted powdered product does
not compare favourably with freshly prepared natural product. The problems
above are not uncommon with regard to the preparation for consumption of
other types of vegetable, in particular preparations which involve a
freezing step.
Light aerated food products are well known in the art as souffles. Such
products are generally prepared by forming a mixture of fat, flour and
milk or water to which the yolks and whites of eggs, beaten separately,
are added. On heating, the mixture expands to give a product with a light,
aerated structure.
One of the disadvantages associated with this method is that it involves
several mixing stages. In particular, if the egg white is not beaten
sufficiently before being added to the mixture of fat, flour and milk or
water, then the product will not attain the required aerated structure
during baking.
European Patent Specification 71 054 describes a method for the preparation
of a frozen souffle product which involves the use of carbon dioxide to
aerate the mixture. However, this method suffers from the disadvantage
that the degree of mixing of individual components of the souffle is
critical; mixing has to be carried out so that air incorporation is
avoided.
It is an object of the present invention to prepare an aerated vegetable
product, for example a potato product, which has a different taste and
texture compared to for example mashed potato, and which can retain its
structure after being frozen and subsequently reheated. The method is
appropriate for the preparation of a wide variety of aerated food products
which contain naturally, or have added a quantity of gelatinised starch.
Thus according to the invention there is provided a method for preparing an
aerated food product, comprising a gelatinised starch, a liquid oil and a
heat-setting material, the method comprising mixing the gelatinised
starch, liquid oil and heat-setting material with an aqueous liquid,
aerating with a gaseous material and thereafter treating the aerated food
product to preset the aerated structure.
An advantage of the present invention over the methods described above for
the preparation of traditional light aerated products, such as souffle
products, is that it is more convenient and adaptable to large scale
commercial use. Mixing can be carried out in a single step and the degree
of mixing is not critical. Furthermore, egg yolk is not an essential
component of the aerated food product of the invention.
The main advantage is that products made according to the invention can be
pre-set and stored prior to consumption, if preferred in containers which
may be open to the atmosphere, without significant loss of the aerated
structure.
A further advantage of the invention is that it provides a method for the
preparation of food products with a low calorific value.
The vegetable used in the invention may comprise any vegetable, for example
potato, sweetcorn, carrot or pea.
The gelatinised starch component can be any edible vegetable starch, such
as potato starch, rice starch, wheat starch, maize starch, sweetcorn
starch, carrot starch, or pea starch, but is preferably potato starch.
Irrespective of whether the natural starch content of a vegetable treated
according to the invention is sufficient to work the invention, this
natural starch content may be enhanced; as a result, mixtures of the
foregoing starch components in a vegetable product according to the
invention can therefore also be used. Mashed potato, prepared either from
granules, flakes, or freshly cooked potatoes, is preferably used as the
source of potato starch.
The heat-setting agent sets the aerated structure. Preferably the heat
setting agent is a protein, such as milk protein, soy protein, gluten,
fish protein, gelatin and egg albumen, or mixtures thereof. The protein
can be fresh or rehydrated.
By liquid oil we include any edible liquid vegetable or animal oil which
acts as a solubiliser for the gaseous material, or a low calorie fat
replacer; examples of liquid oils include liquid butter or fish oil. At
least part of the oil in the liquid oil component may be replaced by a
liquid low-calorie fat-replacer. Particularly suitable fat replacers are
the edible polyesters of polyhydric alcohols having at least four free
hydroxyl groups, such as polyglycerols, sugars or sugar alcohols, and
saturated or unsaturated, straight or branched alkyl chain C.sub.8
-C.sub.24 fatty acids. The polyhydric alcohol fatty acid polyesters
include any such polyesters or mixtures thereof of which, on an average,
at least 70% of the polyhydric alcohol hydroxyl groups have been
esterified with the fatty acids. Also fatty alkyl ether derivatives of
glycerol, esters of C.sub.8 -C.sub.24 fatty alcohols and polycarboxylic
acids can be used for replacing at least part of the oil. Preferably the
liquid oil is a liquid vegetable oil, such as groundnut or sunflower oil.
In a preferred embodiment the aqueous liquid consists of water. It can be
added separately to the mixture containing the gelatinised starch, liquid
oil and heat-setting material, or it may be added indirectly if a hydrated
gelatinised starch is used.
The aerated food product can also contain any number of optional
ingredients such as seasoning ingredients, for example salt, pepper,
nutmeg, parsley or any other herbs.
The gelatinised starch is preferably present at a solids level of 5 to 20%,
more preferably 10 to 20%, and the heat-setting agent is present at a
level of 5-20% by weight. The liquid oil is preferably present at a level
of 3-30%, more preferably 5-15%, most preferably 7-10% by weight. The
balance is aqueous liquid and optional ingredients.
In the method according to the invention the gelatinised starch, liquid oil
and heat-setting agent are initially mixed together with an aqueous
liquid. Mixing can be carried out in most types of food mixer such as
planetary, scroll or paddle mixers. The order of addition of individual
components prior to mixing is not critical.
Preferably the components are mixed for 1-4 minutes at a temperature within
the range from 5 to 30.degree. C. The mixture is then transferred to an
enclosed mixer and the gaseous material is added at a pressure of between
2.0.times.10.sup.5 and 4.times.10.sup.5 Pa at a temperature of not more
than 30.degree. C. Preferably the gaseous material is incorporated into
the mixture at a temperature of 10.degree. C. for 0.5-2.0 minutes.
The gaseous material can be any gas which is soluble in the liquid oil. It
is preferably carbon dioxide, nitrous oxide or nitrogen. Upon release of
the pressure, most of the dissolved gas comes out of solution forming a
food product which is caused to expand like a foam. For a unit volume, the
degree of aeration is called the overrun, which is defined as
##EQU1##
and is preferably from 5 to 100%, conveniently 10 to 100%.
Prior to storage, the aerated food product is treated to set the aerated
structure. The structure can be set by a variety of methods including
heating in a conventional oven, grilling, frying or fast freezing.
Preferably the structure is set by either heating the product in a
microwave oven, or steam setting. These last two methods have the
advantage that fast and thorough setting of the entire product can be
achieved without causing the formation of a dry crust.
Generally the aerated product is sub-divided into individual portions
suitable for consumption prior to setting and storage. The product can be
dosed into containers, which can withstand the conditions required for
setting and storage. In another embodiment product is dosed into
receptacles on a conveyer belt which continuously passes through, for
example, a microwave oven. Individual portions preferably contain from 20
to 200 g of food product.
If a microwave oven with an output of 700 watts is used to set the food
product, a typical treatment time for an individual portion is from 20 to
200 seconds. If a microwave oven with a different output is used the
treatment time is adjusted accordingly.
After being set the products are stored. They can be stored at ambient
temperatures, at frozen temperatures or under chill conditions depending
on the storage time and the packaging material. In a preferred embodiment
the product is dosed into a container, pre-set, demoulded and then
packaged in a further wrap or container before or after being frozen to
temperatures of between -5 to -30.degree. C.
After storage, and prior to consumption, the product is preferably reheated
in a conventional or microwave oven. If the product is frozen during
storage, it should preferably be reheated directly and without defrosting.
Typically the heating time in a conventional oven for a portion of a
product containing from 50 to 200 g of material, is from 5 to 50 minutes
at a temperature from 150 to 220.degree. C.
When the aerated food product is a potato product, it is suitable for
eating alone or as an accompaniment for other foodstuffs.
In addition to products comprising solely aerated vegetable, such as for
example aerated potato, aerated vegetable may be co-formed with one or
more additional food components, such as meat, cheese, vegetable or sauce,
or any combination thereof. Co-forming techniques may comprise, for
example, coextrusion, providing one or more partially or fully enrobed
fillings, or providing one or more toppings. Any one or more of the above
co-forming techniques may be used in the same product, and may utilize one
or more additional food components.
The invention is further illustrated by the following non-limiting Examples
.
Example 1
A composition was prepared by mixing the following ingredients in a
planetary mixer for 1.5 minutes at 60 RPM.
______________________________________
% by weight
______________________________________
Mashed potato (80% water, 20% potato solids)
80%
Egg-albumen 9.5%
Groundnut oil 9.5%
Salt, pepper and flavouring
1%
______________________________________
The mixture thus formed was transferred to a scraped surface heat exchanger
and carbon dioxide gas was added at a pressure of 3.times.10.sup.5 Pa (ie.
the pressure at the interface between the gas and the mixture) at
10.degree. C. The mixture was mixed for 1 minute. An aerated product was
produced when the pressure was released on dosing the product into
containers stable to microwave heating, with each containing approximately
80 grams of product, and subsequently set by heating in a microwave oven
with an output of 700 watts for 80 seconds. After demoulding, the product
was blast frozen and stored in a polyethylene bag at about -18.degree. C.
Prior to consumption, the frozen aerated product was heated in a
conventional oven at 180.degree. C. for 25 minutes. The product had a
light aerated structure.
A similar product was obtained when the groundnut oil was replaced by
sunflower oil.
Products prepared according to this Example were perceived by consumers to
have an interesting taste and texture compared to mashed potato.
Example 2
Food products are prepared according to the following composition:
______________________________________
% by weight
______________________________________
Sweetcorn puree 40-60%
Potato mash 15-25%
Sunflower oil 5-20%
30% rehydrated egg white
5-20%
Seasonings 0-1%
______________________________________
Using a Hobart mixer and paddle, the sweetcorn puree and seasonings are
mixed together for 15 seconds. The rehydrated egg white is then added, and
the mixture is further mixed for another 30 seconds. Then the sunflower
oil is added, and the mixture mixed until the sunflower oil is absorbed,
in practice around 30-60 seconds. Then the potato mash is added, and the
mixture finally mixed for another minute. Although the mixing regime
described above is preferred, its steps are by no means critical.
The mixture thus formed was transferred to a scraped surface heat exchanger
and carbon dioxide gas was added at a pressure of 3.times.10.sup.5 Pa (ie
the pressure at the interface between the gas and the mixture) at
10.degree. C. The mixture was mixed for 1 minute. An aerated product was
produced when the pressure was released on dosing the product into
containers stable to microwave heating, with each containing approximately
80 grams of product, and subsequently set by heating in a microwave oven
with an output of 700 watts for 80 seconds. After demoulding, the product
was blast frozen and stored in a polyethylene bag at about -18.degree. C.
Prior to consumption, the frozen aerated product was heated in a
conventional oven at 180 .degree. C. for 25 minutes. The product had a
light aerated structure.
The product thus prepared was perceived by consumers to have an interesting
taste and texture.
Example 3
Food products are prepared according to the following composition;
______________________________________
% by weight
______________________________________
Pea puree 50-70%
Pea flour 6-12%
Potato mash 10-20%
Bechamel sauce 5-15%
Sunflower oil 5-20%
30% rehydrated egg white
5-20%
Seasoning 0-1%
______________________________________
Using a Hobart mixer and paddle, the pea puree, bechamel sauce and
seasonings are mixed for 15 seconds. To this is added the rehydrated egg
white, and the mixture mixed for 30 seconds. Next the sunflower oil is
added and the mixture mixed for a further 30-60 seconds, and finally the
peaflour is added, whereupon the mixture is mixed for a further minute.
Although the mixing regime described above is preferred, its steps are by
no means critical
The mixture thus formed was transferred to a scrapped surface heat
exchanger and carbon dioxide gas was added at a pressure of
3.times.10.sup.5 Pa (ie the pressure at the interface between the gas and
the mixture) at 10 .degree. C. The mixture was mixed for 1 minute. An
aerated product was produced when the pressure was released on dosing the
product into containers stable to microwave heating, with each containing
approximately 80 grams of product, and subsequently set by heating in a
microwave oven with an output of 700 watts for 80 seconds. After
demoulding, the product was blast frozen and stored in a polyethylene bag
at about -18 .degree. C. Prior to consumption, the frozen aerated product
was heated in a conventional oven at 180 .degree. C. for 25 minutes. The
product has a light aerated structure.
The product thus prepared was perceived by consumers to have an interesting
taste and texture.
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